As computer hardware becomes smaller and increasingly less expensive, more contractors can now use computers to do a number of construction computations which were formally done on hand calculators. The advent of user-oriented software packages has had a significant impact on the traditional data processing procedures of the construction industry. Among the software packages that are available for a large number of computer systems are electronic spreadsheets. Electronic spreadsheets packages, such as Multiplan, are widely used where the display of information can best be depicted in an array of rows and columns. It is frequently useful in situations in which the user wants to change various elements of information or try out various assumptions in a “what if” analysis. This paper discusses, among other things, models for two very important aspects of construction: those of cost estimating and scheduling. The paper further discusses the capabilities of spreadsheets in general as they relate to specific application to the construction industry. A graphical model of a CPM precedence diagram to be used in construction scheduling is presented along with a table for estimating the cost of a building based on the structural components of which it is made. There is also discussion of other software packages with similar capabilities to Multiplan.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

Spreadsheet languages are the most commonly used end-user programming paradigm, yet spreadsheets commonly contain errors. Research shows that a significant number of spreadsheets (20%-40%) created by end users contain errors. In an attempt to reduce this error rate, this work presents an assertion propagation system for an end-user spreadsheet programming language, along with proofs of correctness, and complexity analysis. In addition to the traditional benefits of assertions (dynamic error checking and the documentation of programmer assumptions) this system deductively propagates the implications of assertions. This propagation adds two benefits, the cross-checking of program logic, and additional immediate visual feedback about the range of behavior of the program code for the end-user. / Graduation date: 2002

Researchers in the Forms/3 group have previously developed the WYSIWYT methodology, exploring a way of systematically testing spreadsheet languages. The previous work presented the WYSIWYT methodology for individual spreadsheet cells, and later partially extended it to large grids in which some cells share the same formula. The Forms/3 spreadsheet language supports not only operations of individual cells but also some advanced programming features such as homogeneous grids, recursive programs, and user-defined abstract data types. Therefore, it is important for the testing methodology to support even these more powerful features of the language, not just the "easy parts". In this document, we present extensions to the WYSIWYT methodology for these advanced features. We optimized the visual aspects of testing spreadsheet grids and collected experimental information about scalability. We also developed two possible ways the WYSIWYT methodology could be extended to accommodate recursion in terms of their testing theoretic aspects, implementation strategies, algorithms and time complexities. Since the ultimate goal is to help the people using these languages, we also conducted an empirical study and used its results to inform our choice as to which of these two approaches to adopt. Finally, we developed an approach of testing user-defined abstract data types; here we present design, implementation issues, algorithms and time complexities. / Graduation date: 2002

Spreadsheets are a widely used end-user programming tool. Field audits have found that 80-90% of spreadsheets created by end users contain textual and formula errors in spreadsheets. Such errors may have severe negative consequences for users in terms of productivity, credibility, or profits. To solve the problem of spreadsheet errors, researchers have presented manual and automatic error detection. Manual error detection is both tedious and time-consuming, while automatic error detection is limited to only finding some formula error categories such as formula reference errors. Both approaches do not provide the optimum result in error detection. We have tested a new error detection approach by detecting bad smells in spreadsheets, which is an indication that an error might be present. Originally developed for object-oriented programming, examples include the large class, and the lazy class. We have adapted the concept of bad smells to spreadsheets. Each bad smell detector might indicate an issue in the spreadsheet, but the indication is not definitive, since the user must examine the spreadsheet and make a final judgment about whether an error is actually present. We evaluated 11 bad smell detectors by analyzing the true positives against the false positives. The result shows that six detectors can highlight some error categories, such as categorical errors and typographical errors. / Graduation date: 2013

A GIS analysis procedure was developed to explore relationships between imagery, yield data, soil information, and other assessments of a field or orchard. A set of conversion utilities, a spreadsheet, and an inexpensive shape file viewer were used to manipulate, plot, and display data. Specific features described include procedures used to: 1) display automated yield monitoring and aerial imagery data as surface maps for visual analysis, 2) generate maps from gridded soil sampling schemes that display either the collected soil data values or management information derived from further manipulation of the sample values, 3) evaluate relationships among data layers such as yield monitor, imagery, and soil data, 4) conduct an upper boundary line evaluation of potential yield-limiting factors. The analysis process is demonstrated on wheat, meadowfoam, and hazelnut data, from crops grown in Oregon. / Graduation date: 2002

How can rigorous forms of testing be supported in a way that is both compatible with the visual aspect of visual programming languages, and usable by the audiences using those languages - even when the audience has no background in software engineering? Visual programs are likely to contain at least some errors, and supporting a visual form of testing would give users a way to spot those errors early in the program's life. In previous work, we have developed a visual testing methodology known as WYSIWYT, for use in visual spreadsheet languages, and in this work, we show formally that this methodology can be generalized to screen transition diagrams. The algorithms and accompanying proof of the coverage equivalence that they ensure provide the mechanisms needed for the screen transition paradigm to incorporate WYSIWYT testing for both professional and end-user programming audiences. / Graduation date: 2004 / Best scan available for figures. Original is blurry.

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Department of Computer Science, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

The demand for innovative end users of information technology is increasing along with the proliferation of computer equipment within the workplace. This has resulted in increasing demands being made upon educational institutions responsible for the education of computer end users. The demands placed upon the teachers are particularly high. Large class groups and limited physical resources make the task especially difficult. One of the most time consuming, yet important, tasks is that of student evaluation. To effectively assess the practical work of information technology students requires intensive study of the storage media upon which the students'efforts have been saved. The purpose of this study was to assess the suitability of criterion-referenced testing techniques applied to the evaluation of end user computing students. Objective questions were administered to the students using Question Mark, a computer-managed test delivery system which enabled quick and efficient management of scoring and data manipulation for empirical analysis. The study was limited to the classroom situation and the assessment of primary spreadsheet skills. In order to operate within these boundaries, empirical techniques were used which enabled the timeous analysis of the students' test results. The findings of this study proved to be encouraging. Computer-mediated criterion-referenced testing techniques were found to be sufficiently reliable for classroom practice when used to assess primary spreadsheet skills. The validation of the assessment technique proved to be problematic because of the constraints imposed by normal classroom practice as well as the lack of an established methodology for evaluating spreadsheet skills. However, sufficient evidence was obtained to warrant further research aimed at assessing the use of computer-mediated criterion-referenced tests to evaluate information technology end user learning in situations beyond the boundaries of the classroom, such as a national certification examination.

There are several computer aided design systems which exist to aid the conceptual phase of design. These CAD systems provide adequate geometry input, but often lack the capability to interactively obtain large amounts of numerical and text input often needed by analysis software. An interactive method for facilitating this non-geometric input to conceptual design analysis systems is needed. This thesis describes the creation of a spreadsheet input system to fulfill this need. The requirements, functional specification, and design of the system are addressed using a software engineering methodology. Accepted standards for programming and graphics, namely C and PHIGS, are used in the implementation. This is a system which can be used either to enhance existing CAD software or in the creation of new CAD systems. The use of this spreadsheet system in the enhancement of the well-known aircraft conceptual design system ACSYNT is also described in this thesis. / Master of Science